Pristina, 14 December 2015
Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri, received today a delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland in composition, Juha Ottman, deputy director general of the Department for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Aleksi Vakkuri, adviser in the Unit for EU Enlargement and Western Balkans accompanied by the Ambassador of Finland in Kosovo, Anne Huhtamaki and Lari Peltonen, Deputy Chief of Mission in Kosovo.
Minister Tahiri highly appreciated the bilateral relations between the two countries and thanked Finland for its continuous support for Kosovo in the diplomatic, economic and Euro-Atlantic reforms. Minister Tahiri stressed the importance of support of Finland through concrete projects to the path of reforms for Kosovo’s approximation to the EU. She said that the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the EU has set Kosovo on the official path to integration into the EU and the establishment of contractual relations with the EU. Minister Tahiri also requested the support of Finland for visa liberalization for the citizens of Kosovo, considering it important for the strengthening of a European climate for sustainable economic development in order to attract potential investors from the EU, but also the member countries. “Kosovo plays a peaceful and stabilizing role the region, which is also evidenced by our commitment to the dialogue in Brussels, aimed at normalizing friendly relations with Serbia, with whom we have had a history of war and enmity,” said Tahiri.
Finnish delegation assured continued support of Finland for the Euro-Atlantic perspective of Kosovo assessing the progress so far to build a democratic state of Kosovo. They also pointed out that Finland supports dialogue for good neighbourliness which is taking place between Kosovo and Serbia with the mediation of the European Union, and will continue to support in specific areas as so far.
Last modified: 14 Dhjetor, 2015